Spokesperson for al-Aqsa Foundation for Endowment and Heritage, Mahmoud Abu Ata, on Sunday warned of Israeli plans to open a new gate at holy al-Aqsa Mosque for the Jewish settlers to pave the way for their projected break-ins. “The Israeli minister of tourism had recommended opening Katanin gate after hordes of settlers of the so-called Temple Mount organizations stepped up pressure in order to allow larger room for Israeli vandalism at holy al-Aqsa and increase the number of assailers,” Abu Ata told Quds Press. According to Abu Ata, the bid has serious implications as it embodies Israel’s attempts to reinforce its Judaization schemes and impose a fait accompli at and around the Mosque. He called on the Jordanian authorities to immediately step in and pressure the Israeli occupation to cancel any potential official agreement on the sacrilegious step. Abu Ata further warned of a projected mass-break-in to be staged by the Israeli occupation leadership, spearheaded by MK Moshe Feiglin. Other sacrilegious mass-break-ins and vandalism campaigns are expected to be carried out on Tuesday and Wednesday by Israeli fanatic settler bunches.

Sheikh Kamal Al-Khatib, deputy head of the Islamic Movement in the 1948 occupied lands, warned the Israeli government of dire consequences if it persisted in provoking the anger of Muslims in general and the Palestinians in particular with its violations against the Aqsa Mosque. Sheikh Khatib made his remarks in an interview conducted with him by the Palestinian information center (PIC) on Saturday. "The Zionists would be mistaken if they thought that the continued Arab and Islamic silence gives it the green light for the execution of its plans at the Aqsa Mosque," the Islamic Movement official stated. "We advise the occupation not to be delusional or go far with its dreams because the lovers of the Aqsa Mosque have always turned the tables on everyone thinking that the Mosque has become cheap and lost its place in the hearts of Muslims," he added. Sheikh Khatib stressed that regardless of the instability and chaos in the Arab region, "the Muslims' compass always points to the holy city of Jerusalem and the Aqsa Mosque." "If Netanyahu was really smart and concerned about his people, he should stop the provocative actions against the Aqsa Mosque; otherwise, he would drag his own people into mazes and woes," he emphasized. For his part, senior Hamas official Sa'ed Abul-Baha warned the Israeli government and its settlers that the Palestinian people and the Muslim nation would never remain silent on their violations against the holy city and the Aqsa Mosque. "Targeting the Aqsa Mosque and occupied Jerusalem by the Zionist occupation and its settlers is like striking matches beside a barrel filled with fuel and such ignition would change the entire face of the region," Abul-Baha stated in a press release on Saturday. The Hamas official also described the repeated Jewish break-ins at the Aqsa Mosque as "follies" and urged the Palestinian factions and political forces to courageously respond to such violations. "Our people and nation will never stand idly watching such violations because they are aware that the battle of the Aqsa Mosque and the holy sites are a matter of life or death, so they will make every sacrifice to defend the Aqsa Mosque," he underlined.

Extremist Jewish groups announced their intention to organize a massive desecration break-in at the Aqsa Mosque on Sunday morning as part of a comprehensive program they launched a few days ago on the occasion of the Sukkot festival. According to promotional materials released for the Jewish event, a massive march will be heading from Silwan Spring to the Hurva Synagogue in the old city before going to the Aqsa Mosque.

For their part, Palestinian activists from the 1948 occupied lands announced on social pages on the internet that several buses would be available in certain areas during this week for the transportation of Palestinian worshipers to the Aqsa Mosque in order to protect it against any possible desecration attempt by Jewish groups and settlers. One of the organizers said that the buses would be available free of charge for four consecutive days as of Sunday in the towns of Jaljulia, Kafr Bara, and Kafr Qasem in the 1948 occupied lands.

The Israeli occupation authorities (IOA) started on Thursday evening to tighten its restrictions on Muslims' access to the Aqsa Mosque, especially on those under age 50. Large troops of the Israeli occupation police cordoned off and closed the Mosque's gates and entrances, except for al-Majlis and Hatta gates. The Israeli police confiscated the ID cards of many young men before allowing them to perform Al-Magharib prayers at the Mosque.

They also refused to return the identity cards of 11 young worshippers and asked them to take them back from al-Maskubiya detention center. A few minutes before Al-Magharib prayers started at the Mosque, the Israeli occupation soldiers kidnapped a Palestinian youth and took him to al-Maskubiya center for interrogation without allowing his father and brother to accompany or even talk to him. The Israeli policemen claimed to have enforced such security measures around the Islamic holy place for fear of riots following the Friday prayers.

Dozens of Muslim worshipers suffered injuries and six others were detained during the events that broke out when Israeli police forces violently raided the Aqsa Mosque on Wednesday morning. Mahmoud Abul-Atta, spokesman for the Aqsa foundation for endowment and heritage, said that special police troops stormed the Aqsa Mosque compound at 7:30 in the morning and embarked on attacking all Palestinian worshipers in the courtyards and inside prayer buildings. Abul-Atta explained that the invading troops fired a hail of flashbang and pepper gas grenades at the worshipers in the courtyards and inside the grey-domed Aqsa Mosque to forcibly evacuate the Islamic holy place. The spokesman added that the Israeli occupation police prevented paramedics from entering the Aqsa Mosque compound to help the wounded and imposed a tight siege around it. He appealed to the Islamic and Arab worlds to move to defend the Aqsa Mosque, which, he said, is undergoing a serious stage. In a related incident, the Israeli police on Wednesday evening arrested two young men in occupied Jerusalem on allegations of throwing stones at Israelis. The police also claimed that four of its men suffered injuries during the confrontations at the Aqsa Mosque. The situation has become very tense in the holy city after the Israeli occupation police forced their way into the Mosque compound yesterday and unjustifiably assaulted Muslim worshippers.

Hamas warned on Wednesday of Israel’s Judaization of Occupied Jerusalem vowing to do whatever it takes to decontaminate the holy city from all desecrating grips and foil any attempt to distort its geo-political and religious idiosyncrasy. “The frequent assaults perpetrated by the Israeli occupation, its settler hordes, and occupation soldiers against holy al-Aqsa Mosque. . . are only one chain in the series of Judaization schemes against Occupied Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories,” Hamas said in a press release. Hamas called on the Arab and Muslim people and governments to step in and take serious measures against Israeli vandalism, urging the masses to make of Occupied Jerusalem their own and only political and cultural concern “because the survival of the entire nation depends on the survival of Jerusalem and its holy sites.” The Movement warned the Israeli occupation authorities against taking such serious infringements of the Islamic sanctities too lightly, declaring: “This is the focus of the real fight which will only be halted if Israel is wiped out once and for all.” A number of peaceful Muslim worshippers sustained critical wounds early on Wednesday morning due to the heavy barrages of sound bombs and pepper gas unleashed by the Israeli occupation police throughout a round of break-ins into holy al-Aqsa Mosque. The Israeli occupation police tightened grips on the Mosque since the early morning hours, denying all Muslims below the age of 60 access into it.

“The Israeli occupation is working around the clock on the Judaization of Occupied Jerusalem in order to isolate the city from its Palestinian, Arab, and Islamic surroundings,” Sheikh Raed Salah, head of the Islamic Movement inside the Green Line, warned. In an exclusive interview with al-Aqsa TV channel on Wednesday Sheikh Raed Salah warned of Israel’s normalization of its desecration schemes and sacrilegious break-ins into Muslim’s holy al-Aqsa Mosque. He further spoke out against Israel’s malevolent attempts to dampen the spirits of Jerusalemite Muslims and mislead them into believing that they have been left alone in their fight for freedom, and, thus, have no other way out than to accept Israeli modes of living as their “manifest destiny.” “Netanyahu and his government are trying to make up for their defeat in Gaza by stepping up attacks on holy al-Aqsa Mosque,” he maintained. “As long as these attacks are going on, we will continue to face up to the Israeli colonization.” Sheikh Salah hailed all Jerusalemites and Muslims who have been maintaining vigil inside of the Mosque and remained on the alert to Israeli vandalism. Along the same line, deputy head of the Islamic Movement inside the Green Line Sheikh Kamal al-Khatib slammed the Arabs’ apathy regarding such ongoing attacks against the Mosque. “The masses have to take to the streets and defy their rulers,” he declared. “If the rulers witness their peoples’ uprising they will certainly move with them.” “We will keep on resisting the Israeli occupation with solid determination,” he pledged. “Our defense of al-Aqsa is a real honor for us and a scar on the face of everyone who remained tight-lipped. . . . A new dawn is coming. What happened in Gaza will be a watershed in the route of the liberation of an entire nation,” he maintained. Sheikh Al-Khatib slammed the apathy exhibited by the Palestinian Authority and external parties vis-à-vis Israel’s assaults. He spoke out against Israeli attempts to enforce a spatio-temporal division on al-Aqsa so as to smooth settler break-ins. A number of peaceful Muslim worshippers sustained critical wounds early on Wednesday morning due to the heavy barrages of sound bombs and pepper gas unleashed by the Israeli occupation police throughout a round of break-ins into holy al-Aqsa Mosque. The Israeli occupation police tightened grips on the mosque since the early morning hours, denying all Muslims below the age of 60 access into the Mosque. Meanwhile the deported Jerusalemite MP Ahmad Atoun called on the Arab and Muslim nations to defend holy al-Aqsa Mosque against the ongoing Israeli attacks. “Al-Aqsa is part and parcel of the nation’s creed. It is a verse of Allah’s holy Quran. It is not the exclusive property of Jerusalemites and Palestinians. Al-Aqsa is the past, the present, and future of an entire nation,” he said. He called for an emergency plan to rescue the Islamic and Christian sanctities in Occupied Jerusalem, vowing that the city will forever “stand so tall” thanks to the steadfastness of its people and devotees.

Archbishop Attallah Hanna, of the Greek Orthodox Church in occupied Palestine and Jerusalem, strongly denounced the Israeli military and fanatic Israeli groups who attacked and invaded the al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.

Hanna said that the attack is a very serious violation targeting, again, not only one of the holiest Islamic sites, but also the Palestinian history, heritage and identity.

“The attack on this holy site is an attack on all of us, and attack on our history, culture and heritage” he said. “We cannot just stand idly; there must be a swift Arab position to counter Israel’s aggression that targets our very history and presence as Arab Muslims and Christians.”

The archbishop further stated that he is concerned about the silence of Arab and Islamic countries while Israel continues, and escalates, its attacks and violations against Islamic and Christian holy sites in Palestine, especially in occupied Jerusalem.

“Attacks on Islamic sites, on the Al-Aqsa Mosque, are attacks on all of us as Muslims and Christians,” he added. “The same way, attacks on our churches are attacks on every Arab, and every Palestinian.”

“We, as Palestinian Christians, stand with our Muslim brothers, and affirm the Islamic-Christian unity; unity is the best means to counter these attacks and racist acts,” the Archbishop added. “We, as Arab-Palestinian Christians, are an important part of the Arab history and struggle. We will remain united with our Muslim brothers to counter colonial policies that aim at destroying our unity and our history.”

On Tuesday evening, Israeli soldiers prevented all Palestinians below the age of fifty from entering the al-Aqsa Mosque, an issue which led to clashes between dozens of soldiers and Palestinian youth in the mosque area, and in different parts of occupied East Jerusalem.

On Wednesday, Israel decided to prevent all Muslim worshipers from entering the mosque, and the soldiers attacked the worshipers who managed to stay there, and fired gas bombs in the mosque itself and around it, causing dozens of injuries.

Many Palestinians have been recently kidnapped, and dozens injured, in repeated violations by soldiers, police officers and fanatic Israeli groups targeting the worshipers in the mosque and around it.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the police to act in ending all Palestinian protests at al-Aqsa Mosque, and in occupied Jerusalem, and ordered more soldiers and police officers into the area.

Palestinian medical sources have reported that dozens of residents have been wounded when Israeli soldiers and settlers invaded the yards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in occupied East Jerusalem, and attacked dozens of worshipers.

The sources said that the soldiers threw gas bombs, concussion grenades and rubber-coated metal bullets at the Palestinians in the yards of the mosque and even into the interior of the al-Qibli mosque.

The attack took place after dozens of Israelis tried to invade the mosque while marking the Sukkot feast.

Mosque guards said dozens of soldiers have been deployed all around the mosque area, especially the al-Magharba Gate, and that the attack itself took place around 7:30 in the morning.

They said the attack was sudden while hundreds of worshipers were there before hundreds of soldiers invaded the mosque area, assaulted the worshipers and tied to force them out.

The attack led to clashes between the Palestinians, the soldiers and a group of fanatic Israeli settlers who accompanied them.

On Tuesday at dawn, Israel imposed strict measures restricting the entry of Muslim worshipers into the al-Aqsa Mosque.

All Palestinian men, below the age of sixty, have been denied access to the mosque and its surrounding areas, while the army withheld the ID cards of elderly Palestinians, and women of different ages, an issue that led to further tension.

Later on, the soldiers removed all Palestinians from the yards of the mosque, and surrounded dozens of youths who fortified themselves into the Al-Qibli mosque, after the soldiers shut its gates with chains.

Head of the Waqf and Endowments Department in Jerusalem Sheikh Azzam Khatib said the department filed an official application to the Israeli Authorities in Tuesday asking them to close the al-Magharba Gate to prevent the entry of fanatic settlers into the mosque area, but the police ignored their request.

Khatib added he contacted the Jordanian Ambassador and informed him to the attack.

“Due to calls for invading the mosque by extremist Israeli figures, especially during Jewish Holidays, the mosque became subject to frequent and escalating violations,” Khatib said.

Head of the Al-Aqsa Mosque Sheikh Omar al-Kiswani said the clashes are still ongoing, adding that many Palestinians have been injured, especially in the al-Qibli mosque, while fires broke out in the carpets due to Israeli gas bombs and concussion grenades,.

He added that the soldiers prevented local firefighters from entering the area.

“The mosque is nearly empty now after the soldiers forced the Palestinian worshipers out,” al-Kiswani stated, “They removed the Palestinians and are allowing Israeli fanatics to roam freely.”

Eyewitnesses have reported, Tuesday, that clashes took place between dozens of local youth and Israeli soldiers and police officers, after the army imposed further restrictions on the entry of Muslims into the al-Aqsa mosque, in occupied Jerusalem, on the last day of the Muslim al-Adha holiday.

Local sources said that the soldiers, and the police, escalated their strict measures limiting and preventing the entry of hundreds of worshipers into the mosque, especially the few who were allowed to leave Gaza and head to Jerusalem for Eid prayers.

The clashes mainly took place near the Bab al-Majlis (The Council Gate) and Hatta Gate in the Old City of occupied Jerusalem.

According to Israeli sources, some protesters threw Molotov cocktails at the soldiers and the police, causing minor injuries; the police sealed the entire area and invaded it.

The so-called Israeli “students for the temple mount’’ organization has embarked on campaigns to mobilize thousands of extremist settlers to storm the Aqsa Mosque on Wednesday so as to mark the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. According to online data propagated by such a fanatic organization, the first break-in is set to kick off at 8 a.m. via al-Maghareba gate. The second break-in is scheduled to take place at 1.15 p.m. via the same entryway. The masses of Israeli vandals are expected to flock in front of the gate 30 minutes before the sacrilegious assault flares up. A large number of fanatic Jewish students submitted online demands to join the break-ins, expected to be led by fascists Rachel Tito, Tommy Nisani, and Arnon Segal. A desecration agenda is to be performed right after the break-in. This includes the launch of a round of defilement tours around the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa’s eastern and northern orchards along with the performance of Jewish religious rituals in al-Aqsa courtyards. Maps for the alleged temple are also to be circulated among the assailers. The extremist organization appealed to the Israeli occupation police to seal off all the gates of holy al-Aqsa Mosque throughout the days of the Sukkot holiday so as to deny Muslims’ the right to perform their religious prayers at the Mosque starting from Wednesday, October 8, until Thursday, October 16. The already-swift pace of projected Israeli vandalism is expected to hit climactic heights with the advent of the Jewish Sukkot holiday.

Israeli Tourism Ministry has opened Qattanin Gate, one of al-Aqsa Mosque’s 17 gates, for Jewish settlers and foreign tourists in response to Jewish organizations’ demands to open an additional gate to facilitate their break-ins. Israeli army radio said that the Israeli decision came following the Jewish extremist rabbi Yehuda Glick’s continued calls to “urgently change the status quo in al-Aqsa Mosque”. The decision would spark a diplomatic crisis between Israel and Jordan as al-Aqsa Mosque is under the Jordanian Waqf control according to bilateral agreements, the sources added. The Israeli authorities were earlier forced to dismantle a temporary bridge built alongside the Mughrabi Gate Bridge that was meant to ease entry for settlers due to the Jordanian rejection of the project. Qattanin Gate would be the second gate, along with the Mughrabi Gate, which is only accessible for settlers' break-ins. There are 17 gates for the Aqsa Mosque with seven of them closed. Israeli extremist organizations have escalated recently their calls and demands to intensify Israeli presence and break-ins in al-Aqsa Mosque in coincidence with Jewish holidays.

Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas armed wing, congratulated the Palestinian people on the occasion of holy Eid al-Adha marked on Saturday. Al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement posted on the group’s website: “Today we mark holy Eid al-Adha and our Palestinian people stand firm and committed . . . amid an oppressive Israeli-American blockade and antagonistic conspiracy.” “Your resistance stands as a tall stranglehold in the face of oppression and oppressors. You are a people who deserve God’s victory promises both on earth and the heavens. You are the children of a blessed and pure land that has never yielded in to oppression and Israeli sacrilegious schemes. It is the land of sanctities and holy Risala (message),” the statement read. “Your steadfastness and great sacrifices will topple the blockade, as they did all subjugation and humiliation attempts before,” al-Qassam further declared. Al-Qassam Brigades congratulated the Palestinian and Arab prisoners held in Israeli jails, vowing to do whatever it takes to restore their freedom. In a message to the Palestinian resistance, the group said: “It [resistance] is the icon of our pride and dignity and part and parcel of our adopted path,” adding that the Palestinian resistance will forever remain worthy of all sacrifices. The statement appealed to all Palestinian masses to pool their resources, rally around the martyrs’ and prisoners’ families, and help bring back the smiles on the faces of children, orphans, widows and needy people. “Eid is the best occasion to eliminate hatred and grudge from our souls and sow the seeds of love and compassion everywhere,” al-Qassam concluded.

Marking the first day of holy Eid al-Adha, deputy head of Hamas political bureau Ismail Haneyya vowed that Hamas will keep up developing resistance weapons in Gaza until every single inch of Palestine is liberated from Israel’s grips. Addressing a large congregation during Muslim’s holy day of Eid al-Adha (the Greatest Feast) in Gaza’s Yarmouk stadium on Saturday morning, Haneyya said: “Hamas will do its best to invest the latest triumph over the Israeli occupation and build up on its results.” Hamas shall never tolerate any attempt at disarming the group, he vowed, adding that the resistance’s attacks will be unleashed against the Israeli occupation only. In another context, Haneyya called on for the need to work out all files of national reconciliation and put signed accords into effect. The senior Hamas leader vowed to forever beef up the reconciliation process and the Palestinian national cooperation. He further stated that Hamas will be strategically open to all pro-Palestine Arab countries and the international community. Haneyya stressed Hamas commitment to take Palestine’s case to the international criminal court, press for membership in the Rome Statute, and prosecute Israeli war criminals. “Among the most important strategies adopted by Hamas is the reconstruction of what had been destroyed in the latest Israeli offensive on Gaza and the healing of the wounds of hundreds of homeless Palestinians,” he pledged. According to Haneyya, Gaza’s victory has come to restore balance in the region and confirm that the fight has been basically fought against the Israeli occupation, never on a religious or a sectarian basis. He appealed to the Arab and Muslim nations to pool resources so as to prevent any potential bloody scenarios in the region and halt all sectarian tensions.

Tens of thousands of Palestinian worshipers flocked to the Aqsa Mosque to perform the Eid prayers soon after dawn Saturday. Roads leading to the Old City and the Aqsa Mosque were crammed with worshipers who headed to the holy site despite the Israeli security measures that turned Jerusalem into a garrison. Israeli security forces closed a number of streets near the Mosque including Bab el-Amoud, which is the main road leading to the Aqsa. Groups of worshipers celebrated the Gaza steadfastness and victory in face of the Israeli 51 days of barbaric aggression, hailing Hamas and its armed wing for their prominent role in that victory.